Bangladesh

Major Facts

Statistics:

Trade: over US$60 million

Latest News:

18 Mar 2010 - Bangladesh Prime minister Sheikh Hasina met China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao where he requested China's help in resolving its maritime border dispute with Burma

9 Jan 2010 - Bangladesh and Burma have agreed in principle to demarcate their disputed maritime boundary based on both countries' differing proposals of “equidistance and equity of resources”

Background

Diplomatic relations since: June 8 1950
Major issues:

Rohingya issue
hydropower
Border disputes

In November 2008, a dispute broke out between Burma and Bangladesh over the maritime boundary after Burma’s warships escorted vessels in the Bay of Bengal to explore natural gas. Both sides sent warships to the disputed area. The tension was defused when Burma finally withdrew its warships from the disputed territorial waters.

Statements

Major Deals and Cooperation

28 April 1992	Signed an agreement on the voluntary repatriation of refugees who could document their Myanmar nationality.
2003	Bangladesh agreed to establish a joint trade commission, and expand counter-trade between the two countries as well as other forms of trade co-operation including both a road link between Dhaka and Yangon and a shipping link between Chittagong and Yangon.
July 2007	Agreement in Dhaka to establish a 25-kilometer direct road link between the two neighbors to boost trade and tourism.
7-8 Apr 2009	The third Burma-Bangladesh Joint Trade Commission (JTC) meeting, aimed at boosting bilateral trade between the neighboring countries held in Naypyidaw

High Level Visits

December 2002	Myanmar SPDC Chairman Senior-General Than Shwe visited Dhaka
2003	Received Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia
September 2005	SPDC member General Thura Shwe Mann toured Bangladesh
7 October 2008	three-day visit of SPDC Vice-Chair and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces) Vice-Senior General Maung Aye to Dhaka
15 May 2009	Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni visited Burma for a three-day visit centering on negotiations over disputed maritime boundaries in the Bay of Bengal involving large amounts of potential gas deposits.
20 May 2009	Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dipu Moni made a request for immediate repatriation of 22,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh during an official visit of Myanmar’s Foreign Minister, U Nyan Win, and Home Minister Major General Maung Oo.
second week of Dec 2009	Director General of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Md Mainul Islam will visit Myanmar led a six-member delegation to discuss issues related to military buildup on the border, Rohingya refugees, trans-border crimes, smuggling of arms and illicit drugs, and problems faced by Bangladeshi fishermen in the Naf river and Bay of Bengal.
28-29 December 2009	Deputy Burmese Foreign Minister Maung Myint held a two-day bilateral meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes

EVENT TRACKER

2010.07.23	Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni met with Myanmar’s Foreign Minister U Nyan Win on Thursday on the sideline of the 17th ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting in Hanoi
2010.03.17	Bangladesh and Burma hold the sixth round of negotiations in Naypyidaw to narrow their differences over demarcation of maritime boundary between the two countries.
2010.03.16-19	The Bangladesh Technical Level Team led by Rear Admiral (Rtd) Khurshed Alam, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, visited Burma for he sixth Round of Technical Level Talks on the Delimitation of Maritime Boundary between Myanmar and Bangladesh with Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Maung Myint.
2010.03.10	Bangladesh’s ambassador to Burma and other envoys met Burmese officials and businessmen during his visit to the capital of Arakan State, Sittwe to discuss solutions to the flagging bilateral trade between the two countries
2010.03.02	Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina government has given its approval for the construction of the 900km gas pipeline linking India and Myanmar, running through its territory.
2010.09.04	Tripura Director General of Police (DGP) Pranay Sahay has said the terrorist outfits of the northeast are under extreme pressure and are in the process of shifting their base camps to Myanmar following a crackdown by the Bangladesh army.
2009.05.20	Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dipu Moni made the request for immediate repatriation of 22,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh during an official visit of Myanmar’s Foreign Minister, U Nyan Win, and Home Minister Major General Maung Oo.
2009.05.15	Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni visited Burma for a three-day visit centering on negotiations over disputed maritime boundaries in the Bay of Bengal involving large amounts of potential gas deposits.
2009.04.07-08	The third Burma-Bangladesh Joint Trade Commission (JTC) meeting, aimed at boosting bilateral trade between the neighboring countries held in Naypyitaw

Last Updated on Monday, 29 November 2010 21:55